Full-field linear and nonlinear measurements using Continuous-Scan Laser Doppler Vibrometry and high speed Three-Dimensional Digital Image Correlation

Spatially detailed dynamic measurements of thin, lightweight structures can be difficult to obtain due to the structure's low mass and complicated deformations under certain loading conditions. If traditional contacting sensors, such as accelerometers, strain gauges, displacement transducers, etc., are used, the total number of measurement locations available is limited by the weight added and the effect each sensor has on the local stiffness of the contact area. Other non-contacting sensors, such as Laser Doppler Vibrometers (LDV), laser triangulation sensors, proximity sensors, etc., do not affect the dynamics of a structure, but are limited to single point measurements. In contrast, a few recently developed non-contacting measurement techniques have been shown to be capable of simultaneously measuring the response over a wide measurement field. Two techniques are considered here: Continuous-Scan Laser Doppler Vibrometry (CSLDV) and high speed Three-Dimensional Digital Image Correlation (3D DIC). With the use of these techniques, unprecedented measurement resolution can be achieved. In this work, the linear and nonlinear deformations of a clamped, nominally flat beam and plate under steady state sinusoidal loading will be measured using both techniques. In order to assess their relative merits, the linear natural frequencies, mode shapes, and nonlinear deformation shapes measured with each method are compared. Both measurement systems give comparable results in many cases, although 3D DIC is more accurate for spatially complex deformations at large amplitudes and CSLDV is more accurate at low amplitudes and when the spatial deformation pattern is simpler. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.